Vehicle brake



July 20, 1948. E, E. HQOD 2,445,616

VEHICLE BRAKE yFiled March 29, 1946 WITNESS:

Patented July 20, `1948 VEHICLE BRAKE E. Elliott Hood, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, a corporation of Dela- Ware Application March 29, 194.6, Serial No. 658,293

The present invention relates to vehicle .brakes and more particularly to coaster brakes for bicycles, velocipedes andthe like.V

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel coaster brake which is provided with a cantilever mounting arrangement in the frame of the vehicle on which it is used.

It is a further object to provide such a brake which is soV arranged that the support for the wheel, the driving and controlling member, and the anchoring means are all located on one side of the vehicle wheel whereby the tire may readily be removed from the wheel while it is mounted in the frame, and the wheel may be taken off the axle without detaching the axle and its anchoring means fromthe frame.

Further objects and advantages will be ap.- parent from the following description taken Yin connection with the :accompanying drawing, in which: Y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly broken away and in section of a preferred embodimentV of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail in perspectiveof the axle for the brake illustrated lin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail inl perspective of the anchor member for transmitting braking torque from the brake to the axle, together with the retarding means for the brake sleeve, shown in disassembled relation;

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the torque arm for connecting the axle to the frame of the vehicle to transmit the braking torque from the axle;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention. Y

In Fig. 1 of the drawing there is illustrated a tubular member I which constitutes a portion of the frame of a vehicle such as a bicycle. The frame member IV is provided with transverse openings 2 and 3 for reception of an axle 4. The.

axle is formed with a shoulder 5 against which a torque arm 6 is seated, preferably with the interposition of a spacer 'I.V That portion of the axle adjacent shoulder 5 is square in cross section as indicated at 8, and the opening 9 in the torque arm 6 conforms thereto in order to prevent relative rotation. Means for clamping the axle in the frame member I is provided comprising a spacing member II, Washer I2, and nut I3 which compress the frame member against the torque arm 6 and the shoulder I4 formed o-n the axle by the termination of the ysquared portion 8. ,w

The shoulder 5 of the axle is formed as a beare claims. (ci. isz-6) ing cone I5, and a driving and control member in the form of a hollow screw shaft I6 is journalled thereon by means of bearing balls Il. This member has a driving sprocket I8 suitably fixed thereon at one end as indicated at I9, and has a bearing cone 2i)I formed adjacent thereto'.

The free end of the axle 4 is reduced in diameter and formed with a portion having a square cross section as shown at 2I. The shaft is also provided with oppositely arranged flats adjacent the squared portion so as to form a double-D section 22. The termination of the `square section provides opposite shoulders 23 on the axle and the termination of the double-D section provides shoulders 24 Aaxially spaced therefrom. The outer extremity of the axle is still further reduced in diameter and threaded as shown at 25.

An anchor member 26 having a square opening 2'I is nonrotatably mounted on the squared portion 2l of the axle and retained thereon by means of a bearing adjuster 28 and lock nut 29 threaded on the portion of the axle. YThe anchor member 26 is provided with a bearing cone 3|, and a hub member 32 is journalled at its ends on the driving member I6 and anchor member 26 by means of .bearing balls 33 and 34 respectively. By this arrangement, all three sets of bearings I'I, 3.3 and 34 may be simultaneously adjusted by the bearing adjuster 28, and the adjustment xed by lock nut 29. A dust cap 30 is preferablyfarranged to seat on the anchor member 26 and extend over the end of the hub 32, a spring washer 30 being mounted on the axle 4 adjacent thereto to hold the dust cap on itsseat.

An expansible brake sleeve is loosely mounted within the hub, one end thereof being supported by an 'expander member 36 slidably journalled on the axle and provided with wedge shaped lugs v3l extending into tapered slots 38 in the brake sleeve, while the opposite end of the brake sleeve is supported by a second expander member 39 which is threaded on the screw shaft I6 and is similarly provided with wedge shaped projections 4I engaging in slots 42 in theV brake sleeve. The expander member 36 is vprovided with teeth 43 adapted to engage similar teeth 44 formed in the anchor member 26. is formed with a tapered opening for the reception of a retarder disc 45 having a similarly tapered periphery. Said retarder disc has a central opening 46 `of `double-D shape adapted to Seat onthe double-Dv portion 22 of the aXle so` The interior of the expander member 36 as to be slidably but nonrotatably mounted thereon. A spring 41 i-s intersposed between the anchor member 26 and the retarder 45, urging the retarder toward the shoulder 24 on the axle and normally maintaining the teeth 43, 44 out of engagement.

Clutch means for connecting the hub 32 to the driving member I6 are provided in the `form of a pair of arcuate clutch shoes 43, 49 loosely mounted in the hub 32 and conforming to the interior surface thereof. The wedge shaped projections 4I of expander member 39 are provided with tapered surfaces 5I arranged to engage similar surfaces 52 formed on the ends of the clutch shoes so that longitudinal movement of the expander member 39 to the right in Fig. 1 will ex. pand the clutch shoes into engagement with the interior of the hub and thus form a positive driving connection to the hub.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, forward rotation of the sprocket I8 by the operator causes the driving member I6 to rotate in the direction to move the expander member 39 to the right, thus engaging the driving clutch 48, 49 with the interior of the hub 32, causing the hub to rotate with the sprocket. When the operator stops rotating the sprocket I8, the further rotation of the hub 32 by the momentum of the vehicle causes the expander member 39 to overrun the screw shaft and thereby move to the left suiciently to release the driving clutch 43, 39. Thereafter the hub 32 is disconnected from the driving mechanism and rotates freely. If the operator rotates the sprocket I8 backwardly, traversal of the expander member 39 to the left proceeds until the expander member 36 engages the anchor member 26 and is locked thereto by the teeth 43, 44. Further backward motion of the sprocket i8 causes the expander 39 to move toward the expander 36 within the brake sleeve 35, thus wedging the latter into frictional engagement with the interior of the hub and thereby retarding its rotation with a force dependent on the pressure applied to the sprocket I8. Rotation of the brake Yassembly 35, 36, 39 during its traversal is friotionally opposed by the engagement of the retarder disc 45 within the expander 36, whereby such traversal on rotation ofthe screw shaft I6 is assured.

The braking torque which is exerted on the brake sleeve 35 by the rotating hub is transmitted through the expander member 36 and teeth 43 44 to the anchor member 26 and from thence to the squared portion 2I of the axle. This torque is transmitted from the axle to the frame member I of the vehicle by means of the torque arm 6 mounted on the squared portion 8 of the axle, the outer end of the torque arm 6 being clamped to the frame member in any suitable manner as by means of a clip 53 which embraces the frame I and is attached to the torque arm 6 by a bolt 54.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the same general principles of transmission of braking torque through the axle are utilized. As there shown an axle 6I is provided with a squared portion 62 for reception of a torque arm 63 having an opening conforming thereto. A driving member 64 is journalled on the axle adjacent the squared portion 62 and has a sprocket 65 rigidly mounted on one end, the other end being reduced and threaded as shown at 66.

The outer end of the axle 6I has a squared portion 61, and a threaded portion 68. A combined anchor and expander member 69 is non- 4 rotatably mounted on the squared portion 61 of the axle, being maintained thereon by a bearing adjuster 10 and lock nut 'II threaded on the end of the axle.

A hub 12 is journalled on the driving member 64 and anchor member 69 and a brake element in the form of two substantially semi-cylindrical brake shoes 13 is loosely mounted in the hub, resting at one end on the anchoring expander member 69 and at the other end on a second expander member 14 which is loosely journalled on the axle 6I. The bearing surfaces of the brake shoes 13 and expander members 69, 14 are tapered, whereby movement of the expander members toward each other causes the brake shoes to be wedged into engagement with the interior of the hub.

The adjacent portions of the expander members 69, 14 are provided with longitudinal recesses 15, 'I6 adapted to receive a pair of key members 11 which are longitudinally slidable in said recesses so as to spline the expander Amembers together and prevent rotation of the brake shoes relative thereto.

A clutch nut 18 is threaded on the driving member 64, and provided with a tapered clutch surface 19 adapted to engage a mating surface 8I in the interior of the hub 12. Nut 18 is also provided with teeth 82 adapted to engage -similar teeth 83 formed on the expander member 14, and relative rotation between these two members is frictionally resisted by a spring retarder 84 fixed in any suitable way on the nut 18 and bearing frictionally on the expander 14.

In the operation of this embodiment of the in vention, forward rotation of the sprocket 65 and driving member 64 draws the clutch nut 18 "to the right into clutching engagement with the interior of the hub so as to lock the hub thereto for rotation in unison. When the rotation of the driving member is stopped, the further rotation of hub 12 causes'theciutch nut 'I8 to release, while backward rotation of the driving member causes the clutch nut to traverse to the left into clutching engagement with the expander member 14, after which the member 14 is pressed toward the anchor-expander member 69 within the brake shoes 13, thus expanding'said shoes into frictional engagement with the hub.

Since keys 11 are nterposedbetween the brake shoes 13, the braking torque Yis transmitted from said shoes through the keys to the anchor member 69, from the latter to the squared portion 61 of the axle 6I, and from the other squared portion 62 of the axle to the frame of the vehicle by means of the torque arm 63.Y

Although but two embodiments of thelinvention have Vbeen shown and described in detail it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and various changes may be made inthe design and arrangement of ther parts without departing Vfrom the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A cantilever-mounted coaster brakeV for bicycles and the like including an axle xedly mounted at one end in the frame of the vehicle, said mounting constituting the sole support of the frame thereon, a driving member journalled on the axle adjacent its mount, an anchor memberr non-rotatably mounted on the axle adjacent its free end, a wheel hub journalled on the anchor and driving members, brake mecha--V nisin for frictionally connecting the hub to the anchor member, means for applying the brake responsive to backward rotation of the driving member and a torque arm non-rotatably connected to the axle for transmitting braking torque from the axle to the vehicle frame.

2. A coaster brake as set forth in claim 1 including further, clutch means responsive to forward rotation of the driving member for connecting the driving member .to the Wheel hub, said driving member being interposed between the clutch means and the torque arm.

3. A cantilever-mounted coaster brake for bicycles and the like including an axle xedly mounted at one end in the frame of the vehicle, a driving member journ-alled on the axle adjacent its mount, a stationary .anchor member xed on the axle adjacent its free end, a Wheel hub journalled on the driving member and anchor member, an expansi'ble brake sleeve loosely mounted in the wheel hub, and means responsive to backward rotation of the driving member for non-rotatably connecting the brake sleeve to the anchor member and thereafter expanding the brake into frictional contact with the interior of the hub.

4. A coaster brake as set forth in claim 3 including further a torque arm non-rotatably mounted on the axle adjacent the driving member for .transmitting the braking torque from the axle to the vehicle frame.

5. A side-mounted coaster brake for bicycles and the like including an axle, means for rigidly mounting one end of the axle in a vehicle frame, said mount constituting the sole support of the frame on the axle, the axle having a non-circular portion adjacent its free end, an anchor member fixedly mounted on said non-circular 6 port-ion, a torque .arm preventing rotation of the axle in its mount, a driving member journalled on the axle adjacent the torque arm, a Wheel hub journalled on the anchor and driving members, an expansible brake sleeve in the hub, a supporting and expanding member therefor threaded on the driving member, a second supporting and expanding member for the sleeve journalled on the axle and movable into clutching engagement with the anchor member; and a retarder for the second expanding member splined on the axle adjacent the anchor member and having frictional engagement with the second expander member.

6. A coaster brake as set forth in claim 5 including further a driving clutch ad'apted Ito engage the interior of the hub and transmit rota- `tion thereto, the brake expanding member which is threaded on the driving member being arranged to engage the driving clutch responsive to forward rotation of the driving member.

E. ELLIOTT HOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 402,313 Duryea Apr. 30, 1889 582,600 Bullard May 1-1, 1897 610,696 Williams Sept. 13, 1898 '2,286,986 Hood June 16, 1942 2,314,845 Kurzina Mar 23, 1943 2,410,785 Hood Nov. 5, 1946 

